The Hawaiian gazette., 1887-12-13
B!EHR1NG SEA
AND THE
RIGHT OF SOVEREIGNTY OVER IT..

has arisen during the paSUr1eW years,
based on the plea that it belongs to
the class called ''open seas" which
under the law of nations are public
property, outside of one marine league
from the shore, or from headland
points of bays or CULTS. On this as
sumption, cruisers have, during the
past few years, been fitted out ex-
pressly for the purpose of capturing
seals found in the sea beyond the
limits named Under instructions
from the American Government, there
have been number of seizures and
confscation Of these vessels engaged
in sealing in its waters, which had no
permission to cruise there for the OBJ
ject named. In the minds of those
who are fully posted in the different
phases Of this new international ques
ton. there can be no doubt that the
United States Government possesses
the same rights in and over the Ben
ring Sea that Russia formerly pos
sessed and exercised over it. and now
enforces over the fish breeding por-
tons of the Ochotsh Sea, for the pur-
pose of protecting its fisheries.
As far back as 1920 to 1880, Russia
claimed exclusive authority over the
Ochotsh and Behring Seas and the
Arctic Ocean, as being inland seas,
over which she held exclusive right,
and when the New Bedford whalemen
began to extend their cruises into her
waters, the United States sought and
secured a treaty granting to its citi-
zens the privilege of cruising there,
and of fishing aud trading with the
natives. This treaty is dated April,
1924. BY seeking the privileges OBJ
tained and making this treaty, the
United States acknowledged the SOW
ereignty of Russia over these inland
seas, and also acknowledged that it
possessed no rights there except such
as were conceded by the treaty. These
facts are of record, and any interna-
tional convention that undertakes the
adjustment of this question, must rec
ogniZe the existence and authority of
these established rights, as having a
forcible bearing in its adjustment.
In March, 1867, the United States,
by a formal treaty, purchased the
Russian possessions in America, pay
ing seven millions, two hundred thou
sand dollars for all of Russia's right,
title and interest in them, whatever
they may have been. In this conven-
ton, the boundaries are clearly de
fined. The western boundary of the
Russian possessions, as specified by
Article l of this treaty, is stated to be
as follows:
The western limit within which the terri
tories and dominion conveyed are contained,
passes through point IN Behring's Straits
on the parallel of sixty-ive degrees, thirty
minutes north latitude, at its intersection
with the meridian which passes midway be-
tween the islands of krusenstern or Ignolode,
and the island of Ratmanoff or Noonarbook,
and proceeds due north without limitation,
into the same frozen ocean. The same west
ern limit, beginning at the same initia! point,
proceeds thence in a course nearly southwest,
through Behring's Straits, and Behring Sea.
so as to pass midway between the northwest
point of the island of st. Lawrence and the
southeast point of Cape Choukotski. to the
meridian of one hundred aud seventy-two
west longltude thence from the intersection
of that meridian, in a south-westerly direc-
ton, so as to pass midway between the island
of Alton and the Copper Island of the Kor-
mandorski couplet or group, in the North
PACING Ocean, TO the meridian of one hun
dred aud ninety three degrees west longitude.
so as to lnclude in the territory convened the
whole of the Aleutian Islands east of that
meridian
4 reference to almost any chart or
map showing Behring Sea, will enable
the reader to ascertain the main points
referred to in the treaty, as forming
the boundary. These are Behring's
Straits, st. Lawrence Island, Beh-
rings Island, Attou Island and Queen
Charlotte's Island on the American
coast. Attou, or Copper Island, is the
small island seldom named on maps)
lying near and southeast of Behring's
Island. Draw a pencil line on the
chart, commencing in the middle of
Behring's Straits, and passing south
western y through the middle of the
straits between st. Lawrence Island
and Cape Choukotski on the Asiatic
coast, thence to Attou Island. and
'AOASO " Iuo Auu6ItCdu MdlQ lana
above Queen Charlotte's Island, so as
to include all of the Aleutian or Fox
Islands. Queen Charlotte's Island is
the most northern point of British
America in the Pacific. On some
American charts this boundary line is
engraved to show the western and
southern boundaries of the Alaskan
purchase and territory.
This large triangular enclosure of
Behring Sea and the Aleutian Islands
bordering it on the south, are known
as the home and breeding ground of tie
North Pacific fur seals. The mothers
and their young are found during the
summer swimming in it hundreds of
miles from the nearest land. The
Of the sea north of this
chain of islands is of more value than
that of the land, for unless the seals
can have unmolested freedom to cruise
throughout its whole extent, the value
Of the commerce in them. which now
brings to the United States treasury